In 2019, IAPI launched Ireland: where Creative is Native (www.creativeisnative.com), the first ever anonymous, ‘country before agency’ Creative Showcase designed to promote the very best of Ireland’s commercial creativity and communications.

Each year, submissions are made by Creative Directors from all disciplines and from all agencies for inclusion into the country’s showcase. The submissions are voted on by their peers, with each agency being allocated one vote, and only submissions receiving the highest scores are published on the site.

The creatives have now spoken... Over the course of the last four weeks creative directors, voted on nearly sixty campaigns submitted by IAPI’s member agencies. The 6 campaigns that made it through are now live on the Creative is Native website and they are:

1. Jeff’s World, campaign created for Three Ireland taking you on a journey of a pet bearded dragon who accidentally steps on a robot hoover. See the full campaign here>>

2. Life’s better less bitter created for Island’s edge, touches on leaving bitterness behind with a humorous approach. In the campaign the customers share stories on how just like the drink they are also less bitter. See the campaign here>>

3. Me?Nah was created as a recruitment ad for the National Ambulance Service. While the National Ambulance Service is widely known across Ireland, there is a perception that you need to be medically trained to work there. You don’t. See the campaign here>>

4. Minding Creative Minds a joint effort between Screen Ireland and Minding Creative Minds, to promote the critical support services available to people working in Ireland’s booming creative screen industries. Narrated by Colin Farrell, the campaign uses storyboard art, the universal language of the screen industry, to highlight each service. See the campaign here>>

5. The World’s Strongest Women campaign created for Allianz. In 2020, as Covid-19 rampaged, domestic abuse soared by 43% in Ireland. Homes were being protected, but the people inside them weren’t, inspiring Allianz to partner with Women’s Aid. Read all about the campagna and watch the video here>>

6. The Zero Carbon Billboard was created with message that promoting sustainable vehicles isn’t itself very sustainable. With the stats on the CO2 emission from Outdoor ads themselves, VW turned to the humble tool of a pencil, and created a hand drawn a billboard using traditional skilled signwriters and illustrators in- situ over a 48 hour period.

Check out the campaign here>>

In Ireland, our uniqueness is recognised by our creativity. Be it through business ideas, art, films or in this case our ad campaigns. IAPI started the Creative is Native initiative solely with the intention to amplify this very creativity and give our agencies a platform to showcase their brilliant work. Over the last year the creative industry has produced incredibly unique campaigns and this platform is dedicated as a home for that brilliant work. What makes the Creative is Native platform so unique is that all the work submitted and selected is not accredited to any agency or contributor. It is a genuine national portfolio and a world first for Ireland.

The 2023 additions to the showcase were announced at the “IAPI Creativity Means Business” event, held on Wednesday 26th April in The Alex Hotel in Dublin. Speaking on this year’s Creative is Native process, IAPI President and Creative Director, Bonfire, Sean Hynes said "Well, the cream really rose to the top with the latest round of creative work to make it onto the Creative is Native platform. The creative community has voted these six stellar campaigns to have passed the exceptionally high benchmark of being world-class examples of creative work from Ireland. Well done to all involved; you know who you are. And a huge thanks to all the agencies and creative directors for submitting their work, judging the work and supporting this initiative. It is hugely appreciated.”

IAPI believe that the time has never been more opportune for the sector to grow its international reach. For brand owners looking to launch into the European market, Ireland is now a viable and agile alternative, aside from being the only English-speaking country left in the EU.

Visit Creative Is Native to check out the newest entries & learn more about them.